Innovative Italian cycling company pairs with like-minded American team

Fonzaso, Italy based clothing company, Castelli, has announced a three-year deal with Slipstream Sports as the official clothing sponsor of not only the Garmin-Cervelo men's team, but also its women's, U23, and junior teams.

The powerful merger between the former Cervelo TestTeam and the Garmin squad produced what can only be described as a superteam, with the likes of World Champion Thor Hushovd and all-around threat, Heinrich Haussler, along with a slew of Cervelo's top riders, joining forces with an already strong Garmin team highlighted by Tyler Farrar, David Millar, and Christian Vande Velde, and Ryder Hesjedal.

The deal was a solid move to go with the merger between the old Cervelo TestTeam and Jonathan Vaughters's Garmin-Transitions team, but it also logically followed as a relationship between two forward thinking companies, Slipstream Sports and Castelli. Castelli has long been on the forefront of the cycling clothing industry and has been responsible for innumerable firsts, including the first lycra shorts in 1977, the first colored lycra short in 1981, followed by the first sublimation printing on jerseys in 1983. The list goes on and on and one with firsts in functional winter clothing, first fully aerodynamic skinsuit, first modern bibshort, first wicking fabric treatment, and most recently, the Body Paint series, which is yet another step forward both in its comfort and aerodynamic qualities.

In 1981, years before the rest of the cycling clothing industry, Castelli went to the wind tunnel for the first time to investigate the possibilities of aerodynamic gains that could be made through the company's clothing - in 1981!

The relationship between Castelli and a top level team is crucial for continued development by Castelli. The relationship with the Cervelo TestTeam was an essential crucible for not only testing, but innovation.

"Creating clothing for athletes at the highest level of the sport is the most demanding proving ground for Castelli," notes former professional and now Castelli racing performance director, Andrea Peron. "This multi-year agreement to provide clothing to all levels gives us continued access to valued input from the world's top pros, both men and women."

In 2011 and beyond, Castelli's team of developers along with the riders themselves, will work with Slipstream's sports science director, Robby Ketchell, to continue the evolution toward the most efficient clothing possible in any condition.

"We have created a joint research and development program working with Robby Ketchell, the team's sport science director, and we have outlined an innovation agenda focused on making the athletes as fast as possible in every racing condition," continues Peron.

Castelli brand manager, Steve Smith, is excited about the new possibilities and challenges of working with a team like Garmin-Cervelo, a team focused on getting the most out of everything they use.

"Castelli started the aero jersey revolution that has changed the look of pro cycling, and we want to continue to have the best looking kit in the peloton as well. In Slipstream Sports, we've found a partner that shares our belief in technology and performance. Jonathan Vaughters has created an environment in which innovation is demanded, and we're working with Robby Ketchell to push the boundaries of what clothing can do," says Castelli brand manager Steve Smith.

Slipstream president, Jonathan Vaughters, underlines the ideal union of the two innovative companies.

"We're very excited to work with Castelli for the next three years. We pride ourselves on working with our sports science team and our partners create new technologies that will help us compete at the highest level, ethically. We are fortunate to have some of the best athletes in the sport with this partnership, we will have the most aerodynamic clothing for them."

Castelli can trace its routs back over 134 years to a small tailoring shop in Milan founded by Vittore Gianni. The company took a distinct turn toward cycling in 1935 when Armando Castelli became part of Gianni's staff and four years later, purchased the company from Gianni. Armando supplied the Italian greats of Coppi and Bartali with clothing, along with a handful of professional teams.

It wouldn't be until the birth of Armando's son, Maurizio, that Castelli as we know it today would soon take shape. The youngster came up in cycling, and it was only logical that he end up in the business, however, the extent of his passion and desire for innovation would soon cause a parting of ways with his father and the founding of the Castelli brand in 1974. The firsts began to follow soon after.